Q. It is said that we have fallen down to this material world as we rebelled against God. But, it is also mentioned that with proper chanting and service, one can go back to Godhead where there is no birth, death, old age, disease. “Is there no chance to fall down, then”? If one goes to heavenly planets, one will fall down once his account becomes empty? Please clarify of falling down from heavenly planets and Goloka Vrindavan?

A. One goes to the heavenly planets on the strength of one’s pious credits, which are used up during the stay in the heavenly planets. So when the pious credits are exhausted one falls down again into the Martya-loka.

On the other hand, by the practice of devotional service we can go to the spiritual world from where, Krishna Himself assures in the Bhagavad-Gita that there is no return to the material world.